The November Chronicles
by Remy Alva
Summary: Jayne has left Serenity, and has nowhere to go. These are his trials. Post-BDM, het/eventual slash.


**(Lost) In The Cold, Cold World**, story 1/10**  
**Character(s)/Pairing: Jayne, and an OFC by the name of Noh (this chapter).**  
**Word Count: 1324**  
**Rating: PG-13**  
**Disclaimer: Joss is boss.  
Summary: After leaving Serenity, Jayne finds himself alone in the big-wide 'verse. Post-BDM, slight AU, het (this chapter).

"From the lady." The barkeep said, the minty-onion musk of his breath making Jayne's nose crinkle. The barkeep, Jayne never did catch his name though the man had already told him twice, perked an eyebrow wolfishly and tilted his head to the side. Jayne followed the signal, his eyes falling upon a fancy lookin' woman in high dark red frills, the kind of fashion that meant she probably smelt like flowers.

He offered her a half-grin, half-snarl and lifted his glass. Mama always told him to at least feign gratitude, even if he had nothing to be thankful for. Especially when he had no money of his own and was using someone elses information to keep his tab open. He just hoped that Mr. Yeng So-Smithers never ventured to this part of the 'verse for his own good.

She smiled seductively, tilting her head just a little, showcasing just how long her chin really was. Still, she was young and pretty in spite of her unusual features. Not so pretty that he wanted her company just now, but she didn't seem to care.

"Ah know yer face fr'm somewhe'ah," she said as she slinked into the stool beside him. Her slightly slurred speech further dampening her already thick Lilacian accent. Flowers, as Jayne had predicted, wafted off of her, mingling with the sweet alcohol on her breath.

She lifted a hand to delicately feel the contours of his cheeks, moaning as his stubble grazed her finger tips. Jayne pulled his head away slightly, irritated.

"I'm sure you're mistaken," he said gruffly. She tutted and shook her head.

"Oh, no, Ah'm sure Ah'm not. Yew was on ze waves." She leaned in, conspiratorially. "Zat whole Miranada thing."

For the first time in his life, that he could remember, Jayne hesitated as he was about to take a swig off the drink she had given him, and placed it back down on the counter. He kept his eyes down, feeling himself get tense, and licked his lips.

"Ah knew it," she chuckled softly, offering her hand palm-down. "Yew c'ahn call me Noh."

The sound of chimes rang out through the tinny speakers in the club, and a saucy song began to play. Noh, her hand still outstretched, took Jayne's in her own and pulled him off his stool and began guiding him toward the empty dance floor. "Bù ," he protested, "wo xiang bú huì."

She laughed and turned to face him. "But ah'd really like to dance wif a man like yew." She pulled herself close, her hand gripping his back, long manicured nails digging in as she started swaying. Jayne, though annoyed, was caught in the moment and decided to indulge Noh. Maybe he'd get a place to sleep tonight.

* * *

Noh's bed was soft and smelt of soap-- a scent Jayne had always appreciated, but rarely ever indulged himself in. He lay face down, fully clothed, Noh's arm wrapped over his back.

Jayne vaguely remembered having a few more drinks with the woman, lightening up as they conversed. At first about her views on the Miranda situation-- she wasn't a fan of the Alliance-- then just about general dime-store philosophies on life on the Rim. Jayne let Noh do most of the talking, and paying, which was something she certainly liked to do.

But, as usual for Jayne lately, he had found himself in a strangers bed with no memory of what may have just happened-- glad, this time, to have his clothes on for once-- or where he was. Sure, he was glad to be in a warm bed and not on the cold dirt, but life since he'd left Serenity had become unbearably unpredictable.

No home. No friends. Nothing. Not even enemies, unless you counted the ultra-patriots who recognized him. Though even those were few and far between, and only ever threw words, never fists-- boringly enough.

Noh stirred, tightening her grip around his waist as she sighed. "Zao chén." She purred, burrowing her face in his arm. At least he could remembe her name.

"Hey, uh..." He slowly began to move himself away from her, not wanting to get drawn into any compromising situations. "I should get going."

Noh bolted upright, the robe around her body sliding down, exposing her naked pale breasts. "What? Why?" She demanded. Jayne slid out of the bed and out of arms reach.

"I'm sorry, darlin'." He grumbled as he set about looking for his boots.

She growled and slapped her hand on the bed. "After how much ah paid for yew, yer drinks, and put up wif yer stumbling 'round drunk through the streets-- Ah don't get so much as glimpse of skin?"

Jayne groaned, picking up his first boot and began looking for the second. He dared not look at her, feeling slimey enough as it was, but this whole situation was just another in a long of similar ones, and while Jayne wasn't the smartest person in the 'verse he was a quick learner. Just keep moving, get out fast.

Survival.

"Ah bet yew have a tiny xiao diao anyway," she said in a sing song way. Somehow, of all the insults thrown at him in his life, this got to him. It wasn't the words, it was the attitude that made him snap. He turned sharply and growled.

"You haven't even seen my dick, so don't even try that." He stalked around the bed, keeping his eye on her. "Second, I'm not your whore. You bought me drinks, yeah, but that doesn't mean anything."

He practically tripped over his second boot when he found it. He picked it up and shook it at her. "The way you were going on all last night, you made it sound like I was some gorramed hero."

Noh crawled over the bed toward him, letting the robe slip further as she did, revealing the entirety of her nudity. "Yew're no hero," she purred. "Yew're nathing but a lost leettle boy, moving from world to world, and yew just so happened to be in the right place at the right time."

She pulled her body up, leaning back on her hands, exposing herself to the pink. "You're just a vagrant who got lucky." She slid a hand down her body, and moved to lie forward, her face just at Jayne's crotch level, eyes gazing up. "But yer luck has run out."

There was nothing Jayne could do to block her fist, the only thing he could do was react. He grabbed his crotch and fell to the side, groaning.

"Now get out!" Noh shrieked. "Get out, or Ah'll tell everyone yew raped me wif yer tiny diao!"

Jayne got on all fours and started crawling toward the door. Noh kicked at him as he made his escape, slamming the door shut behind him.

When he got to street level, Jayne was blinded by the early morning starlight. He heard a window open and felt himself hit by his other boot, not realizing he had dropped it as he escaped. "Yew're nothing!" Noh shrieked, her pale breasts hanging over the side of the window as she leaned out. "Just a lost leettle boy! Lost leettle boy in the cold, cold world!"

Jayne, for the life of him, couldn't muster the will to protest. He watched as she slammed the window shut, rattling in its hinges as she did. She was completely right, it saddened him to realize. He was lost, with nowhere to go.

He sat in the gutter and pulled on his boots, not bothering to tie the laces. He stood and began hobbling off in one direction, against the wind, holding his sore bits as he went.

Lost little boy in this cold, cold world.


End file.
